GADDAFI SUFFERS THE FATE OF DICTATORS, DIES LIKE A DOG.

In what President Barack Obama described as a stark warning to other authoritarian leaders across the globe particularly the Middle East, iron-fisted rule as always "inevitably comes to an end" and such was the fate suffered by the former Libyan "strongman" and self-declared "King of Africa", Moummar Gaddafi. Not only did Gaddafi loss his grip over Libyans but the people of Libya, who suffered so much atrocities under his maximum power, went further to take their pound of flesh but this time with lots of blood. Gaddafi died in the hands of his people - the Libyan people; killed on the streets of Sirte like a common criminal or should Icheoku say, a DOG? 

What an irony of life that men think power is theirs to forever keep and to misuse same to the detriment of their people for whose primary benefit such power vested on the ruler in the first place. Gaddafi had every opportunity to be better and to change the course which eventually led to his undignified demise, but he did not positively engineer it. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely such that Gaddafi upon consolidating his vice-hold on the people of Libya became tone-deaf to their plight; and instead listened to a few select sycophantic inner circle members of his, who only told him what is melodious to his ears as long as they were left aboard the gravy-train. Today, October 20, 2011, as he was felled by volley of bullets of his Libyan people on the street of Sirte, none of those yes-men and yes-women fell with him nor were even around to share their leaders final moments on this earth enroute to rendezvousing with his seventy virgins. 

Moummar Gaddafi's fall from power, culminating to his shameful death on the street like a dog, shows the futility of many African leaders policy of "arming to the teeth." Instead of spending their country's resources wisely on building uplifting projects and institutions that could take their countries to the next level, they maniacally buy all sorts of weaponry from death-merchants all over the world with which they kill and maim their people just to put enough fear in them in order to or attempt to perpetuate themselves in power. Imagine all the Russian as well as possibly American and European tanks, fighter planes, missiles, rockets, other heavy weapons as well as all sorts of guns and ammunition which Gaddafi bought and paid for with Libyan's resources over the forty-two years he forcibly maintained himself in power? Yet these were not enough to deter a willing people, tired of his despotism, from moving against his hold on power which resulted to his cheap-death today. Those weapons could not protect him or save him nor keep him in power; they proved a no match for a people made nearly insane by his iron-fist inhuman rule of several decades. It is even possible that the bullet that dispatched him to the great beyond was bought by him or fired from a gun that was part of his amassed arsenal weapon of destruction of the Libyan people?  Such irrational drunken-sailor like purchase of weapons by African and third world leaders only succeeds in keeping those merchants of death and their home governments' citizens in their jobs, making more weapons including futuristic weapons to still be sold to those who will eventually succeed Gaddafi. Icheoku wonders the need for these weapons and to defend what, if these leaders could only provide a fair peoples-orientated governments? 

Moummar Gaddafi meant so many things to so many people - to Icheoku, he was an African patriot wanna-be, who did not know how to truly be patriotic and in a good way. He wanted a place for Africa on the world stage but went about it in the wrong way. He assumed unto himself the exalted leadership of the entire African continent as "King of Africa" without first consulting other African leaders or seeking and obtaining the consent of the supposedly governed peoples of Africa or should Icheoku yet say his "subjects?" In short he was a megalomaniac bi-polar personality who wished he had a bigger territory to preside over as he once championed a United States of Africa with Tripoli as its capital and Moummar Gaddafi its leader? He also wished he had a stronger army to bring about his desired political changes both in the continent of Africa and the entire world in general. During his UN visit, he reportedly called for President Barack Obama to remain a life-long president of America, exhibiting the delusion with which some people identifies him with. He was a character in study and he reportedly still had nightmares over the President Reagan's missile delivery right inside his bedroom in the eighties.  

Gaddafi's foray into other African countries politics led to his legendary destabilizing role, as a sponsor of military coups de tats and forceful take over of governments in countries whose governments were not ready to play his game or dance to his dictates. From Thomas Sankara to Charles Taylor and to some extent, Nigeria's Sani Abacha, all African unelected leaders, who Gaddafi had and maintained some relationship with; and was reputed to have brought them to power in some way. Some sources even claimed that during the dictatorship of Sani Abacha of Nigeria, when Nigeria was embargoed by the international community, that Gaddafi flew into Abuja the sum of seven hundred million dollars in cash to help Abacha continue to run the country?  Icheoku learnt this gesture was not out of his love for Nigerians but as an investment on Islamism as he and his other North African and Middle East zealotry cohorts tried to spread Islamic sharia throughout Nigeria. His last foray into Nigerian politics came just few months before the Arab Spring uprising, when he called for the division of Nigeria into two - the Muslim north and Christian south with Abuja and Lagos as their respective capitals.  

Anyway love him or hate him, Moummar Gaddafi was a character that captured world attention, albeit negatively. The West hated his guts and his obtuse sense of pride in Africa, then there was Lockerbie, the German nightclub, other strings of terrorism that bore his signature, his support for the Arafat's PLO  and then the springing out of prison of the only convicted and ailing PAN AM bomber and the West just had enough. They planned and schemed for a way to get Gaddafi to finally pay his debt to the world and then came the Arab Spring, which became the icing on the cake to get Gaddafi. The rest as they say is better left for historians to do their chronicling. What a faith accompli and mission accomplished, the death of Moummar Gaddafi is; as the West will no longer have such a mercurial character to be wary of in that part of the world with a huge salivating deposit of fossil fuel to die for. May the eccentric soul of Moummar Gaddafi now find rest somewhere in their version of paradise.

Icheoku will however pause to say congratulations to all those who made the change in Libya possible including the Europeans, Libyan revolutionaries and particularly President Hussein Obama, who, despite his biological affinity to Africa took on headlong, these Arab dictators in North Africa and Middle East, who were previously courted, wined and dined by past US governments in order not to upset the world oil cart. President Obama is a doer and has done creditably well fighting our enemies such that were the coming 2012 election to be solely based on keeping America safe, boy would he have won a landslide victory. But the economy still sucks and Americans often vote their stomach, so it will be somewhat an uphill climb. Just like one acquaintance told Icheoku, "you gotta blame somebody for your situation in life irrespective of the fact that that other might not be the source of your problems." Further that safety with an empty stomach still kills by starvation and likewise does a full stomach without safety kill by insecurity; so it is not a question of "either/or" but a question of "and/both" security and good economy.  

But the good news however, is that the Republicans are running on empty candidates and have yet to offer Americans a real alternative t President Obama. Their current line of presidential wanna-bes are people laden with various baggage that make them toxic-candidates and therefore highly unsellable to Americans as president. Put in the words of David Axelrod, these jostling Republican candidates are merely same old same old wines in old skins and who wants to drink of such stuff when there is a better and fresher wine at the wedding in Cannan in the current president? As it stands today, challenged by any of the nine Republican Presidential candidate wanna-bes, President Obama will win his reelection in 2012, admitted it will be fight to the finish line, but he shall first embrace the tape. A photo-finish is also possible but the slow motion will show a President Barack Hussein Obama putting his feet first across the line even if within micro-seconds. 

The conclusive change of guard in Tripoli with the killing of Moummar Gaddafi has yet added another feather to the hat of President Obama's effort to keep America safe and pay back old debts owed to America by some of the world's worst persons. As one commentator put it, "For Obama, the outcome allowed him to stand victorious in the Rose Garden, taking note also of the death this year of prominent al-Qaida leaders at the hands of the United States. And he did it without a single US soldier dying in the battle field. In a span of few months, the country has seen the demise of infamous men who either had killed Americans or haunted the United States by targeting it for terror attacks. Obama ordered a daring special forces raid in Pakistan in May that led to the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, the architect of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Last month, a U.S. drone strike in the mountains of Yemen killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen and prominent al-Qaida figure who was deemed as having an operational role in plots against the U.S. The plots included two nearly catastrophic attacks on U.S.-bound planes an airliner in 2009 as it tried to land in the United States and cargo planes last year. Then came the confirmed reports Thursday that Gaddafi was dead." Icheoku says any past or aspiring US president with a better national security records than this President Obama, especially as it appertains to America's subsisting security needs should please stand up; but albeit no one is standing. 

Gaddafi is no more and his blood was spilled in the streets of Sirte, his lifeless body dragged through the streets of Sirte and tossed unto the back of a pickup like a roadkill or hunted-down scoundrel. Compared to Saddam Hussein, he did not die a better or more edifying death - although both of them were literally speaking, "smoked out of a burrow" whether a drainage pipe or dug up rat-hole; at least Sadam Hussein had some moments to enjoy this world before he was dispatched. He was tried, convicted and hung without his blood spilling on the streets of Baghdad or Tikrit. He also enjoyed doing his own laundry while his trial lasted and even had the opportunity of shouting at the trial judge? But Moummar Gaddafi lasted a few fleeting moment between his being spotted by his hunters and his own demise. May be only Romania's former dictator Nickolai Ceausescu's fate came closer to Gaddafis, as his people executed him alongside his wife in Bucharest moments after his fall. Icheoku asks, would such fate as befell Gaddafi serve as a lesson to other dictators around the world, your guess is as good as mine. May the spilled blood of Gaddafi prove to be the glue that will bind and hold Libyans together as they stumble through their journey forward towards building a functional democratic society where men, women and other minorities of all sorts shall freely cohabit and thrive. What a way to end!

GADDAFI, "KING OF AFRICA" IS DEAD!

 

The news of his demise is the only news currently festooning our airwaves both terrestrial and spatial. Icheoku as part of the equation has contributed our thoughts on what went down in Sirte today October 20, 2011 bringing to a conclusive end, a forty-two year strangle-hold on a people. Please scroll down below to our main page to see our perspective. Adieu African strongman who was only strong against his people before Arab Spring transformed cowering in fear boys into men that pulled such previously considered impossible feat off.

MITT ROMNEY IS A FLIP-FLOPPING HYPOCRITE - RICK PERRY?

 Icheoku says records are kept for a reason and they are presently hounding the former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as he yet embarks on another round of his futile journeys to the White House. Once again he was reminded that he once knowingly hired an illegal alien and that his Massachusetts 'RomneyCare' is the petri-dish from where 'ObamaCare' was cloned. Yet the Mormon-cultist is purposely hoodwinking American far right to believe that there is a difference between six and a half dozen; and that he has an explanation for everything he did in the past and now tries to deny or offer a lame explanation to, including knowingly hiring an illegal alien while pretending to being strong on immigration and border control; as well as introducing Health Care for all in Massachusetts and now telling Americans that his pet-project is different from what President Obama offered Americans with the Health-Care reform? However Mitt Romney deliberately failed to inform Americans that Team-Romney consulted Team-Obama in the later's health-care reform project? 

America, Icheoku asks, is this double-talking, flip-flopping son of a gun and a "cultist," the type of person that you want for president? As for me, myself and I, the answer is in the negative and so should you. If President Obama is to be replaced at and for whatever reason, Icheoku says Mitt Romney is not that replacement as America deserves better and need to be first made an offer they cannot refuse by the Republican Party to persuade them away from the president. But hey, Senator John McCain beat Mitt Romney in the last primaries and President Obama beat Senator John McCain in the presidential election. Therefore if Mitt Romney could not beat the man who was beat by President Obama, how dare he think that he can now beat the man who beat the man who beat him? Calling Mitt Romney out on his two-faces of Janus manner of speaking, Governor and also Republican Party's presidential candidate contender Rick Perry of Texas said, "Admit you lose all standing from my perspective because you hired illegals in your home and you knew about it for a year and the idea that you stand here before us and talk about that you're strong on immigration is at the height of hypocrisy." Icheoku says 'mission accomplished'' "fait accompli" as the Republican establishment candidate has a very weak jaw and wobbly clay knee against the Democratic Party candidate and President of America, Barack Hussein Obama; and needless to add that Mitt Romney "invented" the wall in Wall Street as a Capitalist 2.0 extra-ordinaire!

I-PHONE 4S SELLING LIKE HOT, GET YOURS TODAY!

 As advocated, people are snatching up the latest gizmo from the family of Apple - the new IPhone 4S. Many people, just like Icheoku, got it as a keepsake in memory of the man whose stint on this earth made such futuristic-looking gadget possible. As Icheoku says, I-Phone 4s is the last thing Steve Jobs midwifed from Apple before he made his final exit from this earth - it is worth having, so why not? At a record 4 million iPhone 4S sold as at October 17, just three days since it went on sale on October 14, it might turn out to be the fastest selling gadget in recorded history and this is despite a staggering economy. It is new; it is chic and it is a good product, so get yours NOW as every other phone is so yesterday!

ATTACK OF THE MANHOOD, ANOTHER WOMAN SEVERS HUSBAND'S PENIS.

Icheoku says it appears the season of revenge of the female is here as women are now attacking without ceasing, men's symbol of masculinity in order to level the playing field? When the world thinks that the southern California USA woman who recently cut off her estranged husband's penile appendage and minced it in a garbage disposal machine has topped it; here comes another vengeful daughter of Eve from Taiwan who decided to cut off her husband's penis and then threw it into a flowing river and have it floated away and possibly eaten by the fishes? Icheoku bemoans this rising Lorena Bobbitt's copycat domestic abuse of the male specie by the ever petulant female, whose idea of now taking vengeance on the man is to incise his object of manhood and thereby "de-man" him? 

It is inexplicable indeed that a spouse could exact such grave bodily harm on her partner and in such callous manner, that one wonders if any penalty is penal enough under the circumstance? It is times like this that Sharia-law somewhat seems "attractive" as the only blood-letting judicial system that could have adequately punished for this crime. The law of Moses could have also similarly punished it adequately by  just cutting off any of the woman's appendages including the labia in retaliation and thereby equalize their pain and suffering. 

If a man cheats and the woman cannot take it, she should just divorce him and walk away. If a man no longer loves a woman and vice versa, they should simply accept the fact that there is a time for everything - a time to be in love and a time to be out of love. Life does not end and would not end; likewise would the sky not come tumbling down just because love has flown out of the window. It is possibly an opportunity for one to get to a better place or no place at all; but remember that before you met the no-longer-in-love spouse, that you had a life and so would you continue to live in his or her absence. Just see him or her as being dead which effectively terminates marital relationship, if that will help you cope or heal faster. The last time Icheoku checked cases of spouses killing themselves because their "beloved" spouse died, except for the fable in Romeo and Juliet, is practically non-existent; so what the heck if he or she is no longer into you? 

It should not be hopelessly the end of the world for the angry spouse if what seemed to be there before is no longer there or was simply a mirage or even a morning dew which has since evaporated. The way out of such hysteric situation is marked "forward" - you have to think and look forward to the next big thing. JUST MOVE ON. But this rapid spreading mutilation of husbands by their Jezebel-wives must stop as nothing under the sun whatsoever is reason enough for such a grave deformation of the man-being.  

Once again Icheoku condemns this 30-year-old Vietnamese woman, Ms Pan, for severing her husband's equipment just because he had an affair with another woman and for his alleged physical abuse of her; an excuse which flies in the face of the available fact that she is a martial arts expert and could have easily defended herself from a near alcoholic invalid's abuse? Worse still she felt no remorse for causing such a grievous bodily injury or rather grave bodily damage, since a man without his equipment is no longer a man in the strict sense of the word and biology? What a shame that a specie reputedly tender and loving have suddenly metamorphosed into such a savagery, ravaging, vengeful, cruel and bloody aliens of very mean and wicked resolve. Did Icheoku hear someone say there is a protective penile armor-guard that could be worn around the waist before going to bed in domestic-abuse charged environments? Or is it simply an idea and if, who has the patent and is it a venture worth investing in?

MALLAM NUHU RIBADU, MISSING?

 

Icheoku has noticed the conspicuous absence of the first EFCC executive chairman and ACN presidential candidate in the last election, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the political scene as well as national discourse in the country recently. Whether this is a leave of absence, deliberately employed to create anxiety or additional interest over the where-about of the mallam, Icheoku cannot say. Or could it be that Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has lost favor amongst Nigerians and is no longer the media-favorite of the Nigeria fifth estate, that his visibility has suddenly waned? Anyway, whatever be the case, the fact of the matter is that Nuhu Ribadu has not been available nor availed himself upon recent political developments in the country; which forced Icheoku to ask, where is the mallam? Why has Mallam Nuhu Ribadu suddenly disappeared from the political circus since alleging that Olusegun Obasanjo is corrupt or tolerated corruption during his presidency via Wiki Leaks?  That Nuhu Ribadu should so suddenly go blank on the radar screen should be a cause for concern to many Nigerians but so far it doesn't appear so? Icheoku says to Mallam Nuhu, if you are okay and still around, please hollah at Nigerians!

HERMAN CAIN IS NOT A REAL AMERICAN - HULK HOGAN.

Icheoku says without doubt racism is alive and well in America, which explains the unceasing bashing and resistance which President Barack Hussein Obama is getting despite his best efforts. Now the man leading Republican Presidential candidates wanna-be field, businessman Herman Cain; and who himself also happens to be a nigger just like the president, has been described as not being a "real American" too? 

Former wrestling show-boy, Hulk Hogan, said he wants to be president and make taxation flat across the board. According to Hulk Hogan, "I think I should be president. I know nothing about politics. I think a flat tax across the board would straighten everything out." When reminded that his idea is similar to GOP leading candidate Herman Cain's "9-9-9 Manifesto", Hulk Hogan replied "Wow, yeah well he's not a real American like I am." 

Icheoku says for all those still pretending otherwise, the reality check is that a nigger occupying "their" White House is the problem and it does not matter what that nigger does to move the country forward, those racist American rednecks will not have none of it as they only see a blackman and not whatever the heck he is doing to improve things. Imagine a man who succeeded very well in the business world and who now leads the Republican Presidential candidates nomination field, being called "not a real American?" If he is not, then who? Yet a racist pig known as Hulk Hogan believes that policy trust similarity not withstanding, Herman Cain should not be president just because he is black and therefore "not a real America like himself?" 

Icheoku condemns this as another racist bigotry and says, simply because his jaundiced eyes tells him so, that does not make it so that only white skinned Anglo-Saxon descendants are the only "real Americans" in America. GOP Presidential candidate wanna-be, Herman Cain, has the right to aspire to any office in the land to which the likes of Hulk Hogan can including the presidency of this great nation. It does not matter how angry this makes those racists animals, America has since moved on from its past and any of them who does not like the progress we have recorded and seen in this country can take a hike. How dare this beefy pig say that black-people are not real Americans like himself; and he is not even a native Indian. To hell with Hulk Hogan and his likes; Hulk Hogan should better get it in his retired or retarded wrestling brains that Herman Cain is as real American as any other American can be, including his sorry racist arse!

GET THE NEW I-PHONE 4S TODAY, ITS STEVE'S LAST GADGET.

 Icheoku is getting the new IPhone 4S being released today October 14, 2011 and so should you as a tribute to the man who revolutionized the way we keep in touch with one another. I-Phone 4S is Steve Jobs last tech-toy on this earth, launched a day before he died; so it will be a great honor to his memory to get it.

OBASANJO'S SECRET LETTER TO JONATHAN, A FAKE OR FORGERY?

Icheoku usually does not agree with the Otta deity but in the case of this letter, is leaning towards an agreement with him that it is a forgery? All surrounding circumstances and political ramifications considered, only two possibilities exist - either the letter is certainly not from him or it was foolishly wrote and drunkenly dispatched; otherwise why would a man with unlimited and unfettered access to the man he made president, prefer to convey such conspirator's thought via a written document instead of just jetting into Abuja in the middle of the night to personally discuss such divisive and polarizing matter with his boy at Aso Rock? This is the fork in the middle of the road where Icheoku got lost trying to apprehend the merits and demerits of the purported letter coming from Obasanjo. 


Admitted Icheoku has not been privileged to previously see or receive a signed document from OBJ, nor do we claim expertise in deciphering signatures; but should it be conclusively proved in due course that Obasanjo was not smart enough to understand that he should not have written this letter under advisement, then Icheoku shall take away the title of "a fool at seventy is a foll forever" given to IBB from the same OBJ and hand it over to OBJ as the new custodian of the title. But that is where our position varies from what the general population is saying regarding the offensive discriminatory letter; especially allegedly coming from a man who have had the privilege of ruling the country - both north and south, on three occasions. If the letter is truly from OBJ, Icheoku says for Obasanjo to now want to use Jonathan to carry out discrimination against certain peoples of the country is unacceptable and should be condemned by all descent men. 


But until the letter is conclusively determined by forensic science to be fake, which should be the primary goal now instead of the intimidating arrests of editors and journalists of the publication that first aired the news, Icheoku says both Obasanjo and the Nation as well as the tax-payers' paid security operatives should sheath their sword and meticulously unravel the puzzle. Their investigation should primarily be to find out if Obasanjo did or did not in fact write such letter; if he did not, then they can start the prosecution of the publishers for libel and defamation of character. But in the event it was determined that Baba Iyabo authored the letter, further steps should be taken to find out if Jonathan acted on it or the letter in any way influenced any of his recent firings and appointments. Finally, Icheoku asks once again, assuming Obasanjo wrote the letter, why did he choose to become so dumb as not to read in between the lines of the ramifications of such letter. But our guts tells us the letter was not Obasanjos as he is too clever by half to act so dumb.

FOR SHALIT'S FREEDOM, ISRAEL DOES THE UNTHINKABLE?

 The statement "never say never" climbed to an entirely new altitude today, Tuesday October 11, 2011, as the Jewish state of Israel negotiated and agreed with the Hamas "terrorist" Movement to trade captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, for 1000 of their own prisoners held by Israel. The Israeli cabinet hurriedly and overwhelming approved of the swap under the cloak of darkness. 

Icheoku wonders what the true worth of this particular Israeli soldier is that the Jewish state was prepared to secure his release at such a huge cost of its prisoners of Palestine origin? Icheoku says 1000 for 1 is such a disproportionate cost to pay for "the soldier to be reunited with his family in the coming days?" The question on every body's lips are - has Hamas suddenly now become legitimate enough as a negotiating partner of Israel when they have been repeatedly excluded in the negotiations for the peace process? Has their support for terror ceased? Have they renounced violence against the state of Israel? Have they agreed to recognize Israel as a state? What suddenly changed to bring about this Israeli's camaraderie with an otherwise "terrorist" organization? 

Be that as it may, Icheoku says If Hamas is now "a credible partner" and good enough for Shalit's negotiated release, may be they should equally be considered a "fit and proper" party to be invited to the table of the Middle East peace process? May be they could be the catalyst that will quicken the Palestine question, who knows? Anyway thank God for the shifting quicksands of the Middle East political terrain, triggered by the Arab Spring; and suddenly what previously was considered impossible have now become possible - Hamas negotiation with Israel? Icheoku says may the same channel as made Gilad Shalit's release possible be exploited for a lasting peace among the two biblical peoples of the contested Middle East neighborhood.

BLACK OAKLAND POLICE CHIEF BATES, FORCED OUT BY CHINESE CITY MAYOR?

Icheoku says just take a look at those squirrel-eyes and condescending look of Chinese Mayor of Oakland, Jean Quan, at the departing black Police Chief, Anthony Bates, and the body language spoke it all - a kind of "just hurry up and get the fuck out of here" body language and demeaning look. What a day in the formerly Black Panthers city by the bay that a black police chief is frustrated out of his job in a black city by a frigging Chinese woman? Once again the endangered species in America's work places have lost a city job and in a city supposedly black,  founded and nurtured by blacks; and internationalized by the Black Panthers Organization? The fast becoming new minority among the minorities of America, the usually outnumbered-folks of America has lost one of their own's food-basket and in Oakland for crying out loud? 

In a well orchestrated move, the recently elected mayor by default, a Chinese woman, cleverly manipulated the black police chief out of office as she forced his resignation by making it very difficult if not utterly impossible for the chief to effectively function as a chief. Icheoku queries, how can you ask a man to police a city as dangerous and crime-laden as Oakland, reputed to be the most violent crime ridden city in California, without providing him necessary tools and manpower with which to do the job? First the city reduced the number of available police staff for the chief from 803 to 651 and severely cut his operational budget; they also set aside three crime-fighting proposals that the chief had supported; they also refused to implement federal court's mandated reforms of the city's police department just to give him a bad name as 'a not good enough incompetent black chief;' and lastly the chief was buffeted by a mayor that is bigoted and who never saw anything good of a black police chief from day one; forcing him to do so much with so very little as to compromise his ability to maximally function effectively and to the best of his ability? 

With the mayor's drowning waters to his neck, the chief had to "resign" - a politically correct term deployed not to rankle the polity any further. In the forced-out police chief's words, he said "I found myself with limited control, but full accountability." Icheoku says who could operate under such an unwanted environment made more difficult by a mayor who cannot stand black people especially one manning her city's police department? Should this particular blackman turn into "angry blackman in America," people will pretend not to know where he is coming from; but such shabby treatment as he just received in the hands of the Chinese Mayor of City of Oakland is the reason why some people in America are seen or perceived as perpetually being angry? Icheoku says America cannot fully heal until there is a real searching of souls and change in peoples perception of others who do not look like them; when content of one's character becomes the overriding factor and not just skin's pigmentation or melanin. Icheoku makes bold to say that were Police Chief Bates any other race including Chinese, his condition of work would have been much merrier and tools of trade adequately provided to enable him succeed and succeed well. 

Sadly enough, the mayor is blaming the failure to reform her city's police department on the outgoing chief; needless to say that the reform was mandated by a Federal Court since 2000 ever before the chief was hired on October 2009; and with so many thorns and road blocks strewn along his path to make any reform impossible under him, only as expected to now blame him for failure to comply with the court's order. This shameless Chinese Mayor of Oakland is saying with bold face that she didn't ask the police chief to resign? Quoting her, she said, "I didn't ask him to leave, but if he were to leave, this is a good time so somebody else can move this next phase forward." Icheoku says such lines as this are familiar as they are akin to the other firing words, "you have no problem with us, you did a good job, but we have decided to let you go;" and you are lost by the oxymoron. 

Icheoku says to the Chinese mayor of Oakland, if publicly you did not ask Chief Bates to leave, yet makes it impossible for the chief to do his job, who is being fooled here? Who among us cannot read in between the lines unless those words "by necessary implication" have lost their meaning on you, Madam Chinese Mayor? We all understands fully the nature of the game and how people protect their rear-ends by turning themselves into the man behind the mask or the puppet strings puller just to protect themselves both legally and politically. So Madam Chinese mayor of Oakland, you do not need to tell the chief "You are fired" before he reads your lips and body language, including your evil-eyes that you want him so long gone that standing beside him on a podium is one hell of a disgusting chore for you! Look at the picture above, Madam. But hey, this is America and people understand that racism is very much alive and well; admitted most of it have gone subterranean. Icheoku says I don't need you to call me a nigger for me to know that you are looking at me and thinking of me as one - it is most times inbred and intuitive. 

The Mayor did not ask him to leave, yet her city dillydallied on all the chief's proposed crime fighting programs to move the city forward in its crime fighting effort or lack thereof? They delaying approval for their implementation continuously and without any cogent reason whatsoever, including the chief's planned expansion of an existing civil gang injunctions, implementing youth curfews and beefing up a loitering ordinance. Icheoku says that similar measures were implemented in a sister city across the bay, San Francisco, successfully and it made San Francisco a very safe city; yet a black police chief adopted same for Oakland but city  officials will have none of it. It is also important to note that some of these measures were in place and being implemented before the arrival of the now departing chief but were stalled by city bureaucracy under the outgoing chief and Icheoku would like to add, on purpose. But what do they care - they do not live in those crime infested neighborhoods of East Oakland and it is not their people and young ones that are daily being mowed down with AK-47s in the streets of East Oakland.

It is also heart-wrenching that Chief Bates came to Oakland police department committed to do the right thing to help folks move away from unnecessary violence against themselves but is now leaving frustrated? Views which was echoed by Oakland city council member Ignacio De La Fuente when he said, "We should be ashamed that we can't retain a chief who actually wants to do his job." To this Icheoku adds, such is the plight of the blackman in America, who although come well prepared to get a job done but is never allowed, motivated and at best ill-motivated to do the job when hired and eventually frustrated and/or fired from the job; much unlike his counterparts of other races who operate on much better pillow-top like conditions. 

This chief severally complained of the straight-jacket condition he was forced to do his job in, as Oakland police chief; but no one listened at the city hall as they methodically perfected and implemented a well choreographed template to shove him out of the chief's seat. They literally undermined his every effort to be as good a chief as he can be - they cut his staff, cut his budget, curbed the use of gang injunctions which had worked very well in the past, grounded the police crime helicopter and you wonder what the city expected him to do in hot pursuits of criminals and also refused to implement curfews in gang-riddled neighborhoods. To add insult to injury, the city undercut his powers by directly negotiating with the city's police union, giving them a four day 10-hour shifts per week instead of the more flexible five-day, 8-hour shifts which made it easier for a chief to deploy officers as the need arises. Who would take the shafting of his rear in this manner except a shriveling ass-licker, who values a job more than his integrity, which fortunately the chief is not. Icheoku applauds the chief's courageous' enough is enough approach to the unfriendly climate created in Oakland city hall by the Chinese city mayor. The chief was somebody before the Oakland city job and would remain a somebody thereafter; and like other forced out black top officials of Oakland city, with time he will land something bigger and greener elsewhere.

A willing soul, who came to Oakland police department, prepared and ready to do his job as the police chief, has now been frustrated and forced out of the department, leading to his lament that 'it was difficult in Oakland for a "chief to be chief." His marginalisation was so bad and so obvious that one commentator said, 'Chief Anthony Bates "was a chief in title only and he refused to play that game. Who could blame him." Icheoku says and so goes the story of every blackman trying to keep his job in America - either you condescendingly kowtow to dictations of every sort from all manners of funny looking people, whose qualifier might be their lighter paler skin, with grave heart-attack triggering silence or your ass is history in that workplace. But in the case of Chief Anthony Bates, he was courageous enough to walk away with his heads high instead of becoming a poodle of a Chinese mystery woman; who magically found herself occupying the Oakland city mayor's seat which was won by Senator Don Peralta, by reason of the ridiculous "ranked choice vote or second-overall best-option" mayoral ballot system implemented in Oakland last November. What a day in Oakland that a city, literally found and groomed by the Black Panther's Movement is now at the mercy of a Chinese Mayor who sees "repugnance" in a black police chief and wanted him out ever before she was sworn in?

BOSTON GLOBE PUTS A HIT ON BULGER'S INFORMER?

Icheoku says by outing the informer that led FBI to fugitive former Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger (left), the Boston Globe has unwittingly pawned up Anna Bjornsdottir (right), the former Miss Iceland, to the mafia and pretty soon, she might be sleeping with the fishes? 

Icheoku does not know what the Boston Globe wanted to achieve by divulging the identity of such a high-risk informer; but whatever be the case, they succeeded in pointing Mafia hit-men directly to Reykjavik. Icheoku is afraid that her $2million reward money might not be enough to provide and ensure her a round the clock security and protection from the made-men, wise guys? What a betrayal of confidential information by those with knowledge as well as Boston Globe that calls for DOJ's investigation; or is the Globe owned by the Mafia boss, just asking?

SHAREEF ALLMAN, HIS CRY FOR HELP WENT UNANSWERED.

Icheoku says in as much as we do not ascribe to the taking of life of another under any circumstance including the present taking of lives of two workers, we make bold to say that Shareef was pushed before he jumped. Hear him "There's some racist people at my job. They're messing with me," as he complained to a friend of the treatment he was receiving at his job wherein he is the only black employee truck driver. 

As is usually the case, he is now being described as a "disgruntled employee;" and thankfully they have not used the term "an angry blackman" just yet in addition? Such accusations are easy to make and so is the placing of such singling-out labels quick to stick; but no one has ever asked or tried to find out why "that blackman is angry;" or who, similarly situated in his position would not be if always ignored and treated with disdain as not being good enough? 

Most always, once you take the life of another in America and a manhunt ensues, the law enforcement agencies would not spare your life as they would shoot to kill upon sighting you. In this case they claimed that the dead suspect was "crouched behind a vehicle in the driveway of a home and displayed in a threatening manner his firearm?" Icheoku says we have heard such police narrative before, so it was not a surprise ending since 47year old African American male, Shareef Allman, became 'a dead man on the run' when he pulled his gun and killed those his co-workers. It was only a matter of time before he was tracked and dispatched to the world beyond with no questions asked. 

His former employer, Lehigh Southwest Cement Permanente Plant in Cupertino,  California according to him, is a racist establishment which employs him as the only African America truck driver in the company and he faced constant racism and repeated epithets until he snapped and became an enraged animal killing three fellow workers and wounding several others? Before that incident Shareef Allman had severally complained about the disparate treatment he is receiving at his work-place including punishment for offenses that are disproportionately applied just because of the color  of his skin? Icheoku says any average Joe African-American male working or who have ever worked in the US somehow could relate to the experience shared by Shareef Allman of what transpired at Lehigh Southwest Cement Plant? That it lead him to the deep-end is quite unfortunate as he could have simply just walked away. Such unconducive work environment becomes more painful because most times the management is aware of what is going on but either chooses to ignore it and do nothing; or ask such victim-employ to put up or shut up and in some cases to leave the kitchen if he cannot stand the heat? 

Icheoku says breaking the law or taking the life of another is not the answer nor would it ever stop such racist environments in American workplaces. The solution is for the management to intervene as early as possible and call parties to order and in some cases fire such racists co-workers before it creates such blood-letting environment. Shareef Allman's act was cowardly as he had other options including quitting his job and/or  filing complaint with the appropriate authorities and agencies. What a pity that this latest killing at a work-place will not be the end of an employee with axe to grind snapping and doing something stupid at a work-place or some racist co-workers continuously taunting  minorities in their work-places to such extent that they would lose it - their mind that is. His death in the hands of the hunters sent out to stop his madness and help end his misery has at least brought to an end to the tension in surrounding cities and neighborhoods that one pissed-off but certainly "not disgruntled" employee was out there with a gun, seeking vengeance.

MITT ROMNEY IS IN A CULT AND THEREFORE UNELECTABLE - PASTOR JEFFRESS.

 Dr Robert Jeffress, the senior pastor of Dallas-based mega-church, the 10,000-member strong First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, has declared presidential wanna-be Mitt Romney of Massachusetts a satanic cultist and therefore cannot be elected president of a Christian America? According to the pastor, Mormons are not Christians hence Mitt Romney whose faith is Mormonism is not a christian but a member of a cult - demonic cult, one may add? In his statement, the pastor said "Do we want someone who is a conservative out of convenience, or one who is a conservative out of conviction? Do we want a candidate who is a good, moral person, or one who is a born-again follower of Jesus Christ? We understand Mormonism is not Christianity and thus the difference between somebody who's moral and good like Mitt Romney and a true born-again follower of Christ, like Rick Perry. I really think the decision for conservative evangelical Christians right now is going to be, do we prefer somebody who is truly a believer in Jesus Christ, or somebody who is a good moral person but he's a part of a cult. It's not politically correct to say, but it's true. Mormonism is a cult. And for those reasons, besides Governor Romney's lack of consistency on social issues, I think Rick Perry is the most electable choice among Christian conservatives." 

Icheoku says wonderful as a house divided among itself is destined to collapse; and now that Republicans are devouring themselves, the Democrats and President Obama should stay on the sidelines and watch the Republicans implode for good. So with all the Mormon votes now lost by Rick Perry, let us see how only the fundamentalist Christians are going to pull the rabbit out of the hat and put him in the White House in 2012. A very divisive people giving Christianity and Jesus Christ a bad name; how dare they brand another man's faith and convictions cultism; but hey it is the South and they hold weird views on so many things. These are the people who see abortion of fetus as murder yet they joyfully execute adults in their prisons all the time and Icheoku wonders whether to this people, blood clot is now more of a human life than a fully grown adult? Anyway, it is gratifying to know that MItt Romney is a cultist and America does not elect cultists as president? So President Barack Hussein Obama's second term, here we come!

GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION BID, STILL NO FRONT RUNNER?

Bachman won in Iowa; Cain won in Florida; Romney won in Michigan and now Ron Paul wins Value Voters vote in their party's ongoing spread-out make-believe straw polls, prelude to the nomination of the Republican presidential candidate. Icheoku says what this trend shows is that none of the candidates has what it takes - a strong conservative appeal and pull, to take on President Barack Obama in 2012. Good news!

APPLE FOUNDER STEVE JOBS, SUCCUMBS!

Icheoku says the man who put some powerful tools of modern technology in the hands of millions world-wide has finally succumbed to his debilitating, terminal illness; which saw a fully grown adult man depreciate in weight to less than seventy pounds.

He was 56 years old and if to live is to live your footprint in the sand of time, then Apple's departed alter-ego, Steve Jobs, left one heck of a giant's footprint and by doing so, has forever transformed himself into legend. He lived. He underwent surgery for killer pancreatic cancer in 2004, he received a liver transplant in 2009 and survived for seven years against his doctors' odds. 

Steve Jobs helped develop so many products which has become both iconic and status symbols; and heavens owe it to him to welcome him with trumpets for putting smiles on so many faces and making humanity connect with one another more conveniently. He put unquantifiable catalogue of music, libraries and the Internet in hand-held devices and/or in our pockets, among his numerous accomplishments. According to one obituary, "Rarely has a major company and industry been so dominated by a single individual, and so successful. His influence went far beyond the iconic personal computers that were Apple’s principal product for its first 20 years. In the last decade, Apple has redefined the music business through the iPod, the cellphone business through the iPhone and the entertainment and media world through the iPad. Again and again, Mr. Jobs gambled that he knew what the customer would want, and again and again he was right." Icheoku says thankfully for men of letters, no better eulogy so succinctly spoke of the genius for whom the world mourns. Steve Jobs was indeed very effectual and his life very effective. 

Admitted his exit will initially shake Apple group but Icheoku strongly believes that just like Ford, Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and other great inventors and innovators of the past, whose inventions and products became better with time following their exits, Apple would only become better; as capable hands and visionary egg-heads abound therein to take it to the next level. Even Christianity became stronger with the passing of Jesus Christ as the Apostles, now bereft of their mother-hen, became more brave to do whatever it took both to survive and thrive following the visit of the Holy spirit during Pentecost according to the Bible. The Apple group and its products will not be an exception as Steve was to a large extent just the alter-ego and necessarily the only tinkerer therein; so they will be fine in his absence and will continue to innovate and churn out products that are both eye poppers and head-turners. 

His was the story of another college dropout like Bill Gates, who succeeded in life. Steve was a Buddhist and an adopted son of an American father and a Syrian mother. Although he died at quite an early age of 56 but like most trailblazers in history, he was old - Jesus died at 33, Martin Luther King died at 38, etc; but he entered immortality with his products and will now live forever. And as Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said and Icheoku agrees, Steve 'uniquely combined an artists touch and an engineers vision to build an extraordinary company' which made products that are both art and functional known as I-this, I-that; admitted no one really knows what those "I" stands for? Adieu Steve!

SARAH PALIN DREAMING, SAYS SHE WILL NOT RUN IN 2012?

Icheoku says so she really thought she could be America's president, leading the free world? What an ego-intoxicated daughter of Eve this pretty faced Alaskan wild life killer is, to think that she possesses the necessary gravitas and the mental wherewithal to be president of the United States of America? 

Anyway, being delusional is part of being alive and Icheoku gives prop to the all beauty and no brain Sarah for also thinking that the presidency of America is an all comers beauty pageant? But for Senator John McCain, no one would have been  ever bothered about one Sarah from the Alaskan wilderness junketing through the mainland and feeling the waters of a possible run for the White House. Good enough she has sampled the populace and the news is not good as no serious thinking and minded American would entertain the idea of such a dumbo becoming the commander in Chief of their armed forces. So she made the most natural face-saving political about-turn there is - announced that she will not seek the GOP nomination for President of the United States in 2012. Icheoku says she would have added "nor any other future time whatsoever!"